


can you pretend?

by angelcult



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Animal Metaphors, Like, Literal Sleeping Together, Unrequited Love, mention of drowning, sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 13:21:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19229965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelcult/pseuds/angelcult
Summary: Alois ponders on Claude, he thinks he loves him and the demon, he thinks on Alois too but not in such a praising light.





	can you pretend?

It wasn’t that Alois was particularly surprised, it wasn’t that it hurt any  _ less,  _ he just didn’t understand how to vocalize his mixed emotions in a way that wasn’t a tantrum. After all, what sort of fool expects a demon to be able to love?

 

Alois knew that demons were incapable of it, he knew that even with their aesthetics and dealings, a demon’s heart could evolve, could begin to beat (even if it didn’t need to) and start to feel. It was just that Claude wasn’t quite like other demons, ones with red eyes and black hair, he was far more in touch with the cold, harsh personalities that creatures like himself were known for, and it was unnerving in some ways.

 

He was unlike most demons who initiated deals because to start, no life had been traded in turn for his time, no blood would spill until after they started their dance.

 

Claude, with his honey-eyes and caramel voice, had never been  _ sweet,  _ he was bitter, like a cup of unsweetened coffee. Not that Alois minded it too much, he found that there was a lot of things that he didn’t mind. For instance, his home full of demons was one place to start. He was a butterfly caught in a web, cornered and surrounded but he’d never minded the danger.

 

Claude would protect him.

 

_ If anything,  _ Alois thought as he watched Claude unlace his heeled boots,  _ he should be overbearingly protective, I  _ am  _ his meal… _

 

It should have been terrifying, he considered, as his hand was held delicately in one of Claude’s as he climbed into the claw foot tub, to know that his time was limited and yet still feel his pulse quicken whenever the demon around.

 

It wasn’t just foolish, it was suicide, it was overkill. 

 

“Your Highness?” Claude’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and Alois tensed a little, expecting punishment for zoning out until he remembered where he was,  _ who  _ he was. 

 

“What is it, Claude?” He didn’t mean to sound so snappish, but he didn’t apologize either. If the slight narrowing of Claude’s eyes said anything, he would have held Alois’ head under the water then and there. Instead of doing this, however, he just forced his voice to sound softer and gentler, trying to coax something other than irritation from the blond.

 

“Lean your head back, please, so that I can rinse out your hair.” 

 

Alois did as he was told, allowing Claude to rinse his hair, careful not to get soap into his eyes. He was gentle, running his fingers through the blond locks until they were rinsed.

 

Usually, Claude had to listen to Alois’ unintelligible ramblings, and it irritated the demon to no end, but tonight the boy was silent, almost unnervingly so. There was a thoughtful look on his face, the downward curl of his lips, his eyes seemed much more distant and glazed. Frowning, Claude wondered what the usually eccentric child could be thinking of, as he gently lifted him from the tub and dried him off.

 

Redressing him in a nightgown and underwear, Claude pretended that Alois wasn’t flinching away from him. The demon felt no reason to complain about the actions of the other, but they did remind him of when he’d first taken up the role of a Trancy Butler, and Alois had been very enthusiastic until Claude tried to bathe him and he’d practically drowned himself in an attempt to get away. 

 

Was the progress starting to fade?

 

Tucking Alois into bed, the demon paused when he spoke up.

 

“Stay with me..” It was a typical request, one that Claude didn’t particularly mind, and his indifference on the matter was never particularly hidden. Alois was very dependent upon him, to the point where Claude was surprised he wasn’t constantly following him around the manor.

 

“Yes, your Highness.” The demon bowed his head a little, to show that he understood the order when Alois spoke up again, sounding much more fragile than he had before.

 

“No, Claude,  _ get in bed. _ ” That, however, was a new request. It was no secret that Alois hated anyone being too close, Claude touching him was perhaps the only type of physical contact he received, and didn’t hesitate to reciprocate. The demon was no fool, he knew of Alois’ particular emotions towards him, but they would never be returned and Claude would not humor him in that aspect either. 

 

It was not a matter of morality, the demon simply did not feel like playing childish, puppy-love games with a broken toy. 

 

Obeying the order, Claude placed the candelabra on the night stand, toed his shoes off. Alois scooted towards the middle of the bed, watching Claude closely as he removed his tail coat, and gloves, the contract symbol on his hand faintly glowing. 

 

The shine of the moon reflected in Claude’s eyes, the glasses having been placed on the nightstand as well, causing the honey color to flicker to a sickly yellow. Alois gasped softly, not afraid of Claude.. but wary. 

 

The demon climbed into the bed beside the other and Alois hesitated to get closer, and lay down. The question hung in the air, as Alois arranged the other how he wanted. Arms around him, one hand the demon moved to cradle the back of the blond’s head, while his other arm was wrapped around Alois’ waist, pulling him close. 

 

“I can’t sleep when I’m alone.” Alois whispered into Claude’s chest, snuffling, and trying to get closer. “And I don’t mind you touching me.”

 

_ And I guess I love you,  _ he pondered, pretending that Claude’s skin wasn’t so cold.  _ Even if you don’t want me.  _

 

Claude looked down at Alois, noting that he wasn’t looking at him, though his eyes were open where he stared at nothing.

 

“Your Highness..” Alois didn’t respond, but Claude could hear his heart beating a little faster. “I will never harm you.” He did not expand on it, and Alois’ pulse was a little faster, but instead of speaking, he just pressed closer. 

 

Watching Alois fall asleep was like watching a butterfly curl into a premature cocoon, watching it melt away into something indistinguishable, something that should be  _ dead. _

 

Killing Alois would not hurt, Claude concluded, because no one misses a butterfly that is not yet beautiful.


End file.
